Always & Forever

by Chantel Rhondeau

  Something dropped onto the bed beside him, and Zach touched the bit of fabric. As he made the connection between the fabric and her bra, Lilly’s firm breasts pressed into his back. Her mouth found his shoulder. She kissed the top of it, and Zach groaned as her nipples rubbed against him.

  He reached behind him, grabbing for any part of her he could get. His hand landed on her calf, and Zach stroked it, desperate to feel some piece of her.

  Lilly’s kisses changed to bites, and pleasure raced through Zach’s body. He ached to take her. He longed to please her, and be pleased in return.

  “Let me up,” he got out in a ragged pant.

  Lilly slipped off his back, and before she had a chance to settle on the bed, Zach pushed her against the pillows. He captured her mouth in a hard kiss. With her body slightly turned, he was free to let his hands roam her pert bottom.

  Lilly moaned and her hand moved against his pants. She rubbed at the expanding bulge and slid her mouth off Zach’s to suck on his earlobe. Her accelerated breathing tickled his ear, and Zach worried he might disgrace himself by finishing too soon if she continued stroking him. She made him feel like a teenager again.

  He caught her hand up with his and moved it away from his pants. “Not yet,” he whispered.

  Lilly nodded her understanding and rubbed his abs instead. A small gasp escaped her lips as Zach stroked her chest. Her nipples tightened into little buds beneath his fingers, hard with desire. It amazed him the way she responded to his touch.

  She sighed and looked up into his eyes. “I want you, but I’m not any good at this. I mean, being close to you will be nice.” She looked away and her cheeks reddened. “But I’ve never been able to finish, and I don’t want to disappoint you.”

  Zach paused. What kind of assholes had Lilly slept with? “You’ve never found...completion?”

  “Is there something wrong with me?” she asked.

  Zach captured Lilly’s face between his palms. He ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “Baby, trust me, there’s nothing wrong with you.” Her eyes fluttered closed, and Zach kissed each lid softly. “It’s the men you’ve been with who have the problem.”

  “Man,” she corrected without looking up.

  Man. Well, that explained things.

  Zach determined to change her outlook on making love tonight. No matter what, he would make sure Lilly found satisfaction with him.

  He moved his hands to her waist, fumbled with the button at the top of her pants, and lowered the zipper. He stroked back along the length of her stomach.

  “I love your hands against my skin,” she whispered.

  Zach hooked his thumbs beneath the band of her panties and tugged the clothing down over her hips. The tuft of hair hiding her most precious secrets came into view. Zach’s desire intensified as more of her body became visible. He paused to drop a kiss into the downy bounty of hair. The scent of her womanhood filled his nostrils, and Zach inhaled deeply, hot lava filling his insides. Those pants were definitely in the way. He tugged at the waistband again.

  Beneath him, Lilly stiffened and put her hands on top of his. “Wait, wait!”

  Zach groaned. He’d promised himself he would do whatever she needed, be the man she needed. But why did she keep doing this? “Don’t say you’ve changed your mind.”

  “No. It’s not that. It’s just...you’ll see me naked.”

  He shifted position to kiss her stomach, and ran his hand across her torso. “That’s the idea.”

  “Yes, but, my leg. You might, you know, lose the mood.”

  Reassuring words were on the tip of his tongue, but Zach looked up at her pinched face. She was nervous, more so than he had ever seen her. She truly believed the sight of her injury would turn him off.

  He sighed. “That’s really not something you need to worry about, but I know you’re going to.” He wracked his brain for a way to make her comfortable, unable to come up with a plan. “What’s your solution to our little problem?”

  “Turn around.” She pushed him gently off her. “I’ll get undressed and get under the covers.”

  Zach stood from the bed and reluctantly turned his back. The air conditioner ran full blast, and he shivered, hoping she hurried. While in the bed, Lilly kept him hot. He wanted to be back in that bed, making things even hotter.

  He grabbed the foil packet out of his pocket before he slipped out of his pants and briefs. He could hear her moving on the bed as he opened the wrapper and sheathed himself. “I hope you realize how silly you’re being.”

  Her sexy laugh sounded behind him. “Maybe so, but if we’d done things your way, I wouldn’t have seen you from this angle. I have to say, it’s most intriguing.”

  At least she sounded confident again. They could argue about how ridiculous this was later.

  The bed creaked behind him as she moved on it, and Lilly’s hands brushed against him. She stroked his back, caressed his butt, and continued down to massage the backs of his thighs while he stood beside the bed with his back turned to her. Lilly’s fingers trailed to his neck, and her breasts brushed against his back as she kissed his neck beneath his hairline. Zach took in a shallow breath when her arms circled him.

  Her fingers skimmed his waist and plundered lightly through his pubic hair. She grasped his erection and stroked along its length. “Oh, Zach!”

  At her startled exclamation, he whipped his head around, meeting her round eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  She chuckled. “Nothing’s wrong, but you’re so large.”

  Zach grinned at her and a jag of pride mixed with all the other sensations. “Can I get in bed now?”

  Lilly snatched the sheet up and hid her leg from sight. She leaned back into the pillows and patted the space next to her. “Climb on in, big boy.”

  “Big boy, huh? Now you decide to stroke my ego?”

  She batted her eyelashes. “That’s not all I’ll stroke.”

  He slid under the covers next to her. “You’ll have to wait, baby. It’s my turn to do the stroking.”

  He propped himself up on an elbow and looked at her. He marveled that this wonderful woman actually wanted to be with him. Lilly was as perfect in life as she was in his dreams, in both body and spirit. The desire to see her entire body tempted him to peek under the covers, but he didn’t want to upset her.

  He took her breast in his hand and tweaked the nipple between his fingers. He captured the other in his mouth and sucked on it, grazing it with his teeth.

  Lilly moaned and ran her nails down his back.

  Zach slipped his hand off her bosom and made lazy circles across her belly as he trended ever downward. Goosebumps broke out under his touch and Zach smiled. He took her mouth in his once more, delighted at the passion her body revealed to him.

  Her hands ran across the muscles in his back. They dipped down and grasped his butt before moving up to caress his shoulder blades once more.

  Zach took a deep breath and reminded himself to go slow. He wanted Lilly to find pleasure in the act. But he wanted to take her so badly, to feel her wrapped around him; it was almost too hard to contain the excitement she provoked within him. He brushed his hand across the cleft between her legs, stroking the hair there, and her legs fell open, coaxing him, inviting him to explore deeper.

  His fingers found the moist heat between her legs. She was so wet, so ready for him. He flicked his fingers up slightly to find the sensitive spot that would bring her to mind-numbing pleasure.

  She gasped and arched against him. “Oh, yes.”

  The movements of her hands across his back became more erratic, her breathing shallow, as Zach’s fingers quickened the pace. She gyrated against his hand. Her pivoting hips spoke of total abandonment to the moment. Zach complied with her unspoken demands as he continued the intimate caress. Lilly reached above her and grabbed at the pillow under her head. She pulled it around her ears and held her breath.

  Delicious shudders ran through her body as the orgasm raced through her. Zach
covered her mouth with his and swallowed her shriek of pleasure. As soon as she recovered, he plunged a finger into her while he continued to stroke her clit with the pad of his thumb. After the first experience, her body was ready for more and she rocked with the motion of his hand.

  “Yes, yes!”

  Zach tossed back the sheet and fit his body between her legs with a feeling of coming home. He captured her left leg in his hand and raised her heel across his shoulder. Very softly, he kissed the scarred skin of her thigh and looked into her eyes. “Nothing could diminish your beauty.”

  Lilly was beyond caring what he saw. She grasped his hand and shoved it between her legs. She arched her back and squirmed from side to side. “Please, Zach. Don’t let me lose this. It’s so good.”

  A grin stretched across his face. Lilly made no further protests as he found her once again with the pad of his thumb. He guided himself to the opening of her tight, moist passage.

  He tried to go slowly, tried to keep from hurting her. She was so small, so tight.

  Lilly wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him in deeper as her hips rose to meet him. There was no way to slow the pace. Her moans of pleasure reached a frenzied pitch and broke any control he thought he had. Zach withdrew time after time, only to hammer back into her with a satisfied grunt. Lilly’s cries of pleasure intensified and her fingernails dug into his back. Small tremors radiated through her, and she tightened around Zach’s member. As the second orgasm descended on her, she pulled the pillow over her face to muffle her screams.

  Zach plunged into her once more and collapsed on top of her. He shouted his own victory into the mattress as he followed Lilly over the edge of their shared passion.

  ***

  Lilly pushed the pillow away from her face some time later. Zach’s deep, even breaths puffed against her neck, as he rested on top of her. It excited her almost as much as the climax of their lovemaking. And better still, her leg hadn’t repulsed him. Zach hadn’t stopped and turned away from her.

  As if they were one person, joined for this brief time, Lilly still had her legs wrapped around his midsection, and Zach had not bothered to disengage himself from her. The weight of his body drove her into the mattress.

  This part of sex had always been something she feared with Charles. Trapped beneath him until he chose to move encompassed some terrifying moments in Lilly’s life. She hated knowing he was bigger and stronger. Hated knowing he could do anything he wanted, and she couldn’t stop him.

  She pushed that thought away. This was different. With Zach, everything was different. He promised never to hurt her, and she believed him. Zach put her at ease and made her feel cherished. She knew she was safe with him, safe beneath him until he chose to move.

  “I never knew it could be like that,” she whispered.

  Zach’s eyes opened and he smiled. He stretched his neck to place a lazy kiss on her cheek. “Did you enjoy yourself?”

  “You must have heard that I did.” She stroked his shoulder, unable to get enough of him. “I’m pretty sure the people in the next room must have heard that I did.”

  He laughed. “Mission accomplished.”

  “What about you?” she asked. “Was it okay? I mean, I know I’ll get better with practice.”

  “If you get any better, baby, my heart might stop. You’re the best ever.”

  Warmth spread through her at his words.

  Zach’s hand trailed up her side and cupped her breast gently. “Do you feel like another round of practice?”

  Lilly ran her hand through his hair. “Now? You can’t possibly be ready.”

  He propped himself up with an elbow on either side of her head, caging her. His lips met hers and Lilly felt desire stir.

  Zach broke off the kiss and looked down at her. “Oh, I promise, I’m ready. Since the moment we met, you’ve been doing crazy stuff to me.”

  He spent the rest of the night proving the truth of his words.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Lilly woke to the low rumble of Zach’s voice in the next room. She stretched, luxuriating in the feel of the high thread count sheets against her skin. She had slept on the cheapest ones available for months now, and even they were preferable to the scratchy linens she endured during her stay in jail.

  She basked in the afterglow of the night before. No wonder so many people rushed a relationship right to sex. Lilly’s wildest dreams never came close to the reality of making love to Zach. She didn’t want to get her hopes up early, but she really liked where things headed with Zach. Only one problem diminished her joy. He planned to return to Seattle in January.

  She had four short months to spend as much time with him as possible. Then, he planned to go back to his life. Would a relationship with her be enough for him to stay? Would he dump her and move on to a woman more acceptable to his position in society?

  Zach walked into the room, stretched his muscular body, and smiled. “Good morning, honey. How do you feel today?”

  “Wonderful.” Lilly forced herself to smile back at him.

  Zach hadn’t bothered to pull on anything but his pants when he got out of bed. Lilly reached out to stroke the chiseled contours of his abs. “What have you been up to already this morning?”

  “I called the police station to see if they were able to discover anything.”

  Lilly sat up and wrapped the soft sheet around her. “I wouldn’t have believed this possible, but I totally forgot about that.”

  He kissed her and flashed a feral grin. “Why’s that? Did something distract you?”

  She winked. “And it was so terrific, I’m willing to be distracted again.”

  Lilly swore she saw fire light his eyes for a moment before he shook his head.

  “I made plans for us today, Lilly. A few pictures left on our doorstep aren’t going to change that.”

  “You’re not afraid of Charles?”

  Zach sat on the bed next to her. “We don’t know it’s him for sure. The officer didn’t have anything useful to offer. It looked like a man, he thinks. The person who dropped off the package had a hat pulled down over their face and kept turning away from the cameras. The only fingerprints appear to be ours.”

  She sighed. “So, essentially, we have nothing to go on?”

  “I’m sorry. Should we call Detective Spalding and let him know about this?”

  What would Spalding do, besides accuse her of lying and try to twist this around and make it her fault? She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s outside of his area, and we have no way of telling who it was. I’m sure he’d yell at me for wasting his time.”

  “Well, you need to talk to the cops in Serenity when we get home. They can do something.”

  “They’ll probably have a hard time catching him if there isn’t much to go on.” She held back sudden tears. “I’ll understand if you want to stop seeing me, Zach. This has to be more than you bargained for.”

  Zach went very still beside her on the bed. “Is that what you want?”

  She entwined her hand with his and squeezed it tightly. “You’re so wonderful, and I love spending time with you. You’re a caring, patient man and a terrific lover.” She took a deep breath, determined to make him think about the risk he took in dating her, even if that meant she might lose him even sooner than expected. “Spending more time with me must be a big choice for you. I have a stalker out there, who might decide to hurt you if you continue seeing me.”

  “And none of that is your fault.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I’ll ask again—do you want to stop seeing me?”

  Lilly shook her head. “No, of course that’s not what I want. But I also don’t want you hurt by some maniac.”

  Lilly felt his shoulders relax.

  “Don’t worry about that. I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself.”

  Lilly flushed and an entirely different image came to mind than the one he intended. “A very big boy.”

  He laughed and stood up, tugging on her h
and to urge her off the bed. She complied and the sheet fell away to reveal her naked form. Zach looked her up and down before taking her in his arms.

  “Let’s not talk about this again. Subject closed, okay?” he asked.

  She nodded, lost in the musky scent of his body. She’d agree to anything he asked of her at this moment.

  His arms tightened and his clear green eyes met hers. “I love the way you look first thing in the morning. I could get used to this.”

  He loved the way she looked? It wasn’t the same as loving her. But, he loved the way she looked. That was something.

  She leaned up to kiss the hollow of his neck, and Zach’s hands slid down her body. He squeezed her bottom, and Lilly smiled.

  “You need to get dressed.” He released her and stepped back.

  “Why? Let’s go back to bed,” she said, eager to repeat last night’s experience.

  “I can’t wait to get you back in to bed tonight, and we can spend all day there tomorrow,” he promised. “Today, I’ve made a lot of plans for us. And you promised to wear that little black dress.”

  “We can’t go out! What if Charles does more than take pictures today?” She leaned her forehead against his chest. “I couldn’t handle it if he hurt you.”

  “I refuse to live in fear, Lilly. I’m not hiding in here. The best thing we can do is continue living.” His hands ran across her naked body, and Lilly shivered. “Your stalker, whoever he is, will have to deal with that.”

  He was the one who brought up the possibility that it could be Charles, but now Zach acted as though she shouldn’t be concerned. She clenched her hands into fists, struggling against her anger. She knew it was actually fear, and she didn’t want to lash out at Zach again. She didn’t want to say anything that would ruin the slight foothold into her first relationship based on caring rather than greed.

  Zach must have sensed her continued resistance. “I want to do something like a real couple, honey. I’d planned a whole date for us today in the hopes of impressing you. Don’t let him ruin that for us. Don’t let him scare you.”

  A real couple? Lilly melted as her emotions tipped back to pleasure. “I am scared though,” she admitted.